Europe stands divided, Union a discarded dream?

 By Dr R. Balashankar?

The End of the West – The Once and Future of Europe, David Marquand, Princeton University Press, Pp 204  (HB),  $24.95?

European Union is now a chimera. Formed with much fanfare and a sense of self-satisfaction, today it is little more than on paper. In the hour of economic crisis there is hardly any consensus about helping those among them in distress.

What happened to this all-white club? David Marquand, a former British MP, in his book The End of the West – The Once and Future of Europe analyses the failure of the Union in the context of the historic rise and fall of the continent of Europe and how it became a battlefield for the two warring superpowers. Both the US and the Soviet Union gained from the political scenario while Europe withered away, fragmented, weakened and bleeding.

Europe has a checkered history. In the 1700s, the combined GDP of India and China was twice as much as Europe. By 1913, Europe’s share of the GDP was twice as much as China and India combined. This change was accompanied by a growing intellectual clout. Says Marquand, “But the indirect impact of the Renaissance–notably, the scientific revolution, a variety of different Enlightenments, the growth of industrial society, and, not least, the establishment of global-girdling European empires–slowly made Europe the powerhouse and centre of the world.” Further on, “European intellectuals and statesmen imbibed an ever more potent version of the ancient Greek mixture. The utilitarian theorist James Miller–father of the much greater John Stuart Miller–wrote a supposedly authoritative multivolume history of India, without ever visiting the subcontinent or learning any of its languages.”

Much of the arrogance still exists. Living in the burden of the past, the Europeans are unable to come to terms with a rising China and India and other Asian nations. “Though European politicians frequently talk about the shift of economic and political power from west to east, there is little sign that they or the citizens they represent have thought seriously about its implications for European political economies or the Union’s curious constitution.”

In a brutal assessment of Europe, Marquand analyses how the centrality of Europe was short-lived. The prosperity enjoyed in the early twentieth century took a beating in the First World War. The Second World War completely destroyed “Europe’s centrality once and for all. In the immediate aftermath of the war, most of continental Europe was devastated, and much of it was traumatized.” He goes on to add “The war had started in Europe, for European motives driving European states. But it was also lost by Europe, including the nominally victorious Britain. The true winners were Europe’s twin offshoots–Soviet Union and (still more) the United States.”

Post cold war, neither super power had much use for pampering Europe. Europe started putting the pieces back together, expanding the geographic boundaries of the continent. From the original six members, the Union increased fourfold  to twenty-seven. From Ireland to Turkey the expanse was huge.

Marquand discusses how a series of issues exposed the divisions within the Union. The attack on Iraq was the most revealing. The Union was divided into two. Of the four big members, Britain and Italy supported the war and France and Germany vehemently opposed it. Down the line, the nations were seen standing on the opposite sides of the battle line.

More importantly, the economic crisis has not just affected but left the European countries stripped off all cover. According to Marquand the market fundamentalism of the last thirty years has been discredited. The “government of the weaker EU economies are trapped in the straitjacket of an overvalued currency…” Religion and ethnicity are other major points of contention. Europe is a product of Christian democrats and Social democrats. Attempts by some countries to define Europe as a Christian continent was stalled by members like France and Germany.  The disparate ethnic identities thrown out through the door has returned through the window. Woven into the ethnicity question of Europe is the issue of Islam. It is creating much heartburn and severe dilemma, Islamophobia as Marquand calls it. The expansion of Europe has raised questions on its characteristics. Is it defined by geography, language, civilization, intellectualism, or anything else?

While Europe is confounded with these issues, the ‘east’ is marching on, setting the political, economic agenda for the world. Where Europe stands today, it needs to come to terms with this ‘new world’ which will “involve a profound change of mentality and self-understanding–as profound as the changes that the upper classes of Europe had to make in order to come to terms with the arrival of democracy.” Marquand concludes, beyond all this, the most important question is “how to grow a European demos that can sustain a European federation, playing a worthy part in such a world.”

Incisive, intuitive, and thorough, Marquand paints a picture of Europe which is divided, confused and leaderless. It is confronting issues that need to be sorted out and fast. David Marquand has been member of the British Parliament, an official of the European Commission, a fellow of the British Academy and author of many books. His understanding of Europe both contemporary and ancient is extraordinary and his narration illustrates it.

(Princeton University Press, 41 William Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08540)